Brettamatowski's Game Concept: Lumberjack Attack!

[brettamatowski]

Hey everyone,

Just thought I would share something that I plan on doing, but I'm afraid I'll need some help from whom ever decides/wants to help.

I plan on making a game really soon.  I've been drawing up concepts of the main character.
The main character is a lumberjack, who is trying to save his own life by fending off environmentalists and animals so that he can continue his work by chopping down trees.  It's going to be a sidescrolling game, HOPEFULLY with a pretty good engine to run it.  That's where I come to a hault.  I have no idea where to start with coding and programming.  That's why I might need some help. 

Anyways, here's some concepts I have already drawn up today...


The lumberjack is going to have simple functions; static, walk, jump/attack, ground attack/with combos, all using the arrow keys and keyboard.  He'll be able to pick up different tools (weapons in this case) to ward off enemies (stated above).


Here's a Flash version of the lumberjack.

I'll post more once I finish some more stuff, regarding enemies, weapons, plot, etc.


Let me know what you think.
Ideas, Crits, Bashes, Compliments...all much appreciated.

EDIT:
Here are some animations of the lumberjack.
The jump is not accurate, it's just the gist of the action.  The jump is going to be dependent on the ActionScript.
http://spamtheweb.com/ul/upload/120609/38723_Lumberjack_Template.php
Standard: Jump, Run, Static

[Darkswift2204]

i would like to help! wait you mean help with coding or what? i cant help with coding.... sounds AWESOME! ^^ but remember if you do make this game dont make it with any mouse buttons using mouse for games is boring XD

[brettamatowski]

i would like to help! wait you mean help with coding or what? i cant help with coding.... sounds AWESOME! ^^ but remember if you do make this game dont make it with any mouse buttons using mouse for games is boring XD

Don't worry.  I have it under control.

Basics:
walk: left and right arrow keys
jump: up arrow key
attack: spacebar

Simple as that.  All I need help on is coding, thanks though.

[Darkswift2204]

np just get a good coder cuz if you dont then the game will be terrible XD (obviously)

[brettamatowski]

np just get a good coder cuz if you dont then the game will be terrible XD (obviously)

I already know this.

[supermoose]

I'm a coder.  If you have any questions, or would like a partner to work with, shoot me a PM.  I'm not much at all on the way of art though, so I'd be little/no help on that end.  At the moment, I am familiar with Python, Scheme, Lisp, C, C++, Java, and a smattering of HTML.  LEarning AS, in the hopes to make flash games soon myself.

[brettamatowski]

I'm a coder.  If you have any questions, or would like a partner to work with, shoot me a PM.  I'm not much at all on the way of art though, so I'd be little/no help on that end.  At the moment, I am familiar with Python, Scheme, Lisp, C, C++, Java, and a smattering of HTML.  LEarning AS, in the hopes to make flash games soon myself.

Coding would be a load off of my shoulders.  I have all of the art and animation under my belt, no problem.  Just the programming is what's bringing me to a screeching hault.  But I figured AS2 is similar to C#, but I also heard AS3 is better for platforming and sorts.  Not sure if you are familiar with it at all, but I would be glad to work with a coder.  I'm in desperate need of a programmer.

And as for the composition of music...no problem there either.  I've got that covered as well.

[ICLHStudios]

Don't worry.  I have it under control.

Basics:
walk: left and right arrow keys
jump: up arrow key
attack: spacebar

Simple as that.  All I need help on is coding, thanks though.

Honestly I would caution against using up as jump, the entire genre of platformers pretty much abandoned that mechanic long ago. I find that space as jump (space is harder than other buttons to press quickly over and over and feels less responsive when pressed rapidly, making it a somewhat ineffective button for repetitive actions like attacks, while those same things, as well as the size, fit better with the more timing based action of jumping) and crtl/x/c for attack (or any of the a/s, s/d, z/x, x/c combinations) tend to work best for keyboard platformers.

If you ever need any help with the general design of the game or monster design or anything I'll be glad to do so, though unfortunately I have no programing skills whatsoever.

[Darkswift2204]

yea i think you should make it like he says above jump with A and atk with S and up can be to move up if its one of those type of games

[brettamatowski]

It's a side scrolling game.  I recently played a game where jump was with the up arrow key, and attack was with the spacebar and it seemed to flow nicely.  So I think I might just try that.  We'll see if it causes any problems during the production.

[boundless]

It's a side scrolling game.  I recently played a game where jump was with the up arrow key, and attack was with the spacebar and it seemed to flow nicely.  So I think I might just try that.  We'll see if it causes any problems during the production.

Yeah you can always switch up the controls and see what feels best. Controls are the easiest thing to change.

[brettamatowski]

Yeah you can always switch up the controls and see what feels best. Controls are the easiest thing to change.

Exactly! 

I'm not too worried about the controls as of yet.  It's just animating each and every action that the controls trigger (which I am doing now).  Super tidious. 

[brettamatowski]

More concepts

If anyone has any ideas of weapons for Lumberjack, please post 'em.  I know lumberjacks only had handsaws, chainsaw, axes, and maintenance tools.  So if you have any crazy ideas for weapons, but ones that would seem to fit, feel free to post those as well.

[ICLHStudios]

A log.

[brettamatowski]

Ooo, good idea.  I can have him chop down small trees, which will then turn into logs that he can throw.

Right on.